What Makes A Pack
by YamiPaladinofChaos
Summary: [Inuyasha x Kagome] Every dog finds their place.


Disclaimer- I don't own Inuyasha.

For the longest time, I thought I was destined to be alone. At first, it was because of my mixed blood...

Sesshomaru rejected me, the villagers rejected me...

And now that I look back on it, even Kikyo. She always hid me from view, and wanted me to become human...

Even she couldn't accept me as I was.

And so, I depended on myself, and only on myself.

Until She came into my life.

Kagome.

Oh, she wasn't welcome in my life, my heart at first- always whining and crying and looking too much like Kikyo and yet being nothing like her.

But no matter how hard I tried to fight it, tried to shove her aside, she slipped through my defenses.

Soon, I couldn't help but notice her smile, that kindness she unfailing showed to everyone, and all too quickly, I realized that she was Kikyo's opposite... where Kikyo was cold, she was warm, and where Kikyo wanted my human side, Kagome accepted me for who I was.

And by the time I realized it, she had already won... and that was the first of my pack.

Shippo came next, and, much like Kagome, I fought his presence, was annoyed by it, and even hated it.

But I could sympathize... I could understand his situation. He lost his parents, was abandoned, and tried to be strong.

And when he failed, he clung to Kagome, huddled himself to her inner warmth.

And as Shippo was taken under her wing... I realized that I wanted that.

I wanted to have her warmth, to depend on her...

But I couldn't.

I learned my lesson.

And yet, as it always is with Kagome, I can't win. In the end, I didn't depend on her- I _needed_ her.

And when she opened my heart, bit by bit, I found, horrifically, that Shippo was worming his way in there as well. Soon enough, I realized that I was taking him under my wing as well, protecting him in battle without a thought...

As if he were my own pup.

But it couldn't stop there, could it?

NO, there had to be more.

Miroku was the next addition to the pack. At first, I brushed him off as some thieving monk charlatan... then I had to change that idea, because in those quiet moments when Kagome was off in her own time or bathing, I got to know the monk better.

He was like the elder of the pack, always offering advice (whether I wanted it or not), and then I saw it.

I saw who he truly was.

Yes, he was perverted, and yes, he was a con artist.

But deeper than that... he was smart. Crafty even. If Kagome was the warmth of our pack, then he was the brains.

Without him, Naraku would be able to outsmart us without question.

And even more than that... he's my second in command. Every decision I make, I can, and now expect him to look it over and either criticize it or compliment it.

If I have an idea, he'll be the one to comment on it.

And I can see just how important that is. Without it, I'd rush into battle to protect Kagome or hang back, too worried about Kagome to fight. He's that questioning little voice in my head, second guessing me, and without that...

Kagome could be dead.

The final two members of the pack came together... I'll start with Kirara.

I understand her.

Our strength is to fight. Where Kagome provides that healing each of our souls need, we protect that warmth.

We were fighters.

Sango too, was a fighter... but she has more in common with the monk. They're both level headed, each of them good strategists and well versed on demons. But beyond that, she was Kagome's right hand.

She provided what I couldn't. Understanding, companionship of a different kind... the kind that only two women can share, I suppose. It was her that Kagome could talk to, her that Kagome confided in.

I suppose I was jealous of that for a while. But I also understand Sango, and that jealousy faded with empathy.

Both of us have someone we should kill, but can't. I have Kikyo... she has her brother.

Kagome's too innocent to understand, and even Miroku doesn't fully understand the dilemma that we share.

Each of us was different, but we all took shelter under Kagome's warmth.

Kagome.

Damn.

It always goes back to her.

But I guess it should.

Without her, we wouldn't be a pack, a family.

She's the rock, the person each of us depends on. We were wounded, and she healed us. We were hurting, and she made us feel better. We were lost, and she found us.

Sango needs Kagome's understanding and care. Miroku needs Kagome's sympathy and advice. Shippo needs Kagome's love. Hell, even Kirara needs Kagome to some extent, to be that extra person to fill the void that Kohaku left.

And I...

I need her to be Kagome.

I need her warmth, her understanding, her care, her sympathy, her advice, her love...

I need her.

Besides...

What Alpha Male is complete without the Alpha Female?


End file.
